Courses in Veterinary Medicine were first offered at Iowa State in 1872 to the senior class in agriculture. Instruction in anatomy, physiology, pathology and veterinary science and practice was given by H. J. Detmers. He resigned after one year and the position remained vacant until 1877, when Millikan Stalker joined the faculty. Under his direction, the School of Veterinary Science was founded in 1879, making it the first state-funded veterinary school in the nation. The two-year program was extended to three years in 1887. In 1898, the School became a Division of Iowa State College and Stalker was made its first Dean. In 1903, the program was extended to four-years, the first such program in the country. In 1912, the Division became departmentalized with the creation of five new departments. By 1931, a year of pre-professional training was required for admission to the program. That requirement was extended to two years in 1948.
Early physical facilities included a barn that served as a clinic and laboratory, a veterinary hospital (1885-1926) and the Sanitary Building (1885-1927). The Veterinary Quadrangle was constructed in 1912 and housed the College of Veterinary Medicine until 1976, when the $25.6 million complex on the south campus was opened. Funding was requested and approved for these new veterinary medicine facilities 2 miles south of the main campus in 1964-1967. The complex was finally constructed in 1974-1976 and the architects were Henningson, Durham & Richardson. The College continues to expand with its new Livestock Infectious Disease Isolation facility completed in 1999 and a new 108,000 square foot equine and production animal building finished in 2009, the Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center.